The NCAA News Digest

January 6, 1997

• HONORS -- Today's Top VII to be honored at 1997 NCAA Convention
• NATIONAL OFFICE -- Four cities identified as finalists for NCAA headquarters site
• MARKETING -- Association, Host agree on $75 million marketing deal
• REGIONAL SEMINARS -- Dates and sites established for 1997 rules-compliance seminars
• CONVENTION -- Flat $100 fee to be used for delegates at '97 event
• I-A ATTENDANCE -- Trends hold

HONORS

Today's Top VII to be honored at 1997 NCAA Convention

A standout group of student-athletes that includes the Heisman Trophy winner, individual champions in swimming and diving and two members of soccer teams that have captured Division I titles has been selected as this year's Today's Top VIII.

The Today's Top VIII recognizes distinguished student-athletes from the preceding calendar year for athletics and academic achievement, character, and leadership.

Those chosen are football players Tiki Barber of the University of Virginia and Danny Wuerffel of the University of Florida; basketball standout Jennifer M. Clarkson of Abilene Christian University; soccer players Jennifer Marie Renola of the University of Notre Dame and Michael J. Fisher of the University of Virginia; diver Adam Burgasser of the Univer-sity of California, San Diego; and swimmers Berit Puggaard of Southern Methodist University and Annette E. Salmeen of the University of California, Los Angeles.

The Today's Top VIII will be recognized at the honors dinner January 12 during the NCAA Convention in Nashville, Tennessee.

Staff contact: James A. Marchiony.

NATIONAL OFFICE

Four cities identified as finalists for NCAA headquarters site

The NCAA has selected four communities as finalists in its review of potential future locations for the NCAA's headquarters facility.

The communities include the metropolitan areas of Dallas/Fort Worth, Denver, Indian-apolis and Kansas City.

A working group of university presidents and athletics administrators selected the communities from a list of 10 that were invited in August to respond to a request for proposal. The working group met December 11-12 in Kansas City, Missouri.

Although a specific schedule has not been set, site visits to the four communities are planned for early 1997. The working group expects to make its recommendations in the spring of 1997 with a decision shortly thereafter by the NCAA's Joint Policy Board.

Staff contact: Frank E. Marshall.

MARKETING

Association, Host agree on $75 million marketing deal

The NCAA has reached an agreement with Host Communications, Inc., that covers ex-clusive rights for NCAA corporate marketing programs from 1997 through 2002.

HCI will pay the Association a minimum of $75 million over this period for exclusive rights to NCAA corporate partners programs, management of selected championship radio broadcasts, and publication and distribution of selected championship event programs and associated materials. In addition, Host will exclusively market NCAA fan festivals that are conducted in conjunction with championship events.

Staff contact: Alfred B. White.

REGIONAL SEMINARS

Dates and sites established for 1997 rules-compliance seminars

Staff contact: John H. Leavens.

CONVENTION

Flat $100 fee to be used for delegates at '97 event

A flat registration fee of $100 per person will be charged for the 1997 NCAA Convention in Nashville, Tennessee.

The only exception will be for individuals representing commercial enterprises, in which case a $200 fee will be charged.

The registration fee covers delegate entertainment costs, such as the delegates reception, luncheons and the honors dinner.

Chief executive officers are reminded that NCAA Bylaw 5.1.3.1 stipulates that institutions or conferences that designate both a male and a female as voting or alternate delegates on the appointment-of-delegates form will be allowed to appoint four accredited delegates. In all other circumstances, institutions will be limited to not more than three delegates. They may have any number of visiting (nonvoting) delegates.

Registration fees will be collected at the registration counters.

Staff contact: Louis J. Spry

I-A ATTENDANCE

Trends hold

Average attendance at Division I-A football games in 1996 was down slightly for the second consecutive year, falling to 41,204. The decline from 1995 was very small (0.6 percent) and the total average attendance in Division I-A was between 41,100 and 41,700 for the fifth consecutive year. Overall attendance in Division I-A was 26,535,520, which is an increase of 699,051 from the previous year, but 21 more games were played in the division than in 1995.

The highest average I-A attendance of the decade was 42,043 in 1991. The all-time record was set in 1982 when the average was 43,689. That was the first year in which more restrictive Division I-A membership requirements had to be met. At the time, Division I-A contained only 97 institutions. For the purpose of this tabulation, there currently are 111 Division I-A teams, which is the most since the membership requirements became effective in 1982.